Secrets Don't Make Good Passwords
by Harmony Goldstar
Summary: In the movie Harry goes to Dumbledore's office after he died and McGonagall is there. What if instead of walking away, Harry offers to listen if she needs to talk? This one event changes the entire horcrux hunt timeline, potentially saving lives, and definitely changing things between Harry, Hermione and Minerva. Set in HBP and DH. Rated T just to be safe.
1. Secret

**A/N: This was just a random idea I came up with, about Harry, Minerva and Hermione. It not a romance, yet. I planned it to be a one-shot, but I have chosen to add on to it as I feel there is the possibility of a story here. **

**IMPORTANT: I am re-writing this story, as there were some details that contradicted themselves, as was pointed out by Winter Garnet, (thanks, by the way!) So, hopefully this time around this story is better. If not, well, let me know, and I'll revise it again. **

**The revisions in this chapter are just grammar, sentence structure and such, and it's not necessary towards the plot to re-read this chapter. Chapter two may be re-posted this weekend. **

**Also, I apologize deeply to those of you who were in the middle of reading this when I deleted it to revise. I wasn't even thinking about that. Sorry tonksremus2332!**

**Warnings: OOC**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Chapter 1 Secrets**

Harry Potter stood beside Dumbledore's desk. He looked around the office and sighed, carefully picking up Tom Riddle's diary and the ring, turning them over in his hands. He set them back down and turned to leave.

Standing in the doorway was none other than Professor McGonagall, _the deputy, no headmistress_, Harry mentally corrected himself. Harry fixed his gaze on the floor hoping she wouldn't see his eyes shining with tears. He glanced up quickly at his stern head of house noting the absence of tears in her eyes and told himself, _I will not cry_. When Professor McGonagall spoke it was in the same tone of voice she used when teaching and her face displayed no emotion.

"Potter, in light of what has happened, if you should have the need to talk to someone… Professor Dumbledore, you meant a great deal to him. I am here if you should wish to talk."

"Yes Professor, thank you," he said fighting to keep his voice steady and free of the pain inside of him. She stepped aside and he walked out of the office.

"Professor, I offer the same to you," Harry said, looking away as he felt tears fall in down his cheeks. He began to descend from the office when he heard her voice from behind him.

"Thank you Harry." His professor's voice was noticeably less stern and much quieter. _Could it be,_ he wondered, _that she was about to cry?_

Harry returned to the Gryffindor common room where he sat with Ron and Hermione staring at the fire, crying, until dinner. The trio made its way to the Great Hall and as they sat down Harry's eyes swept over the staff table. Of the staff that were present, only Professor McGonagall's face was unstained by tears. There was no signature of a glamour charm around her. The others hadn't even bothered to cast a glamour charm on themselves. Not that it mattered. The rest of the hall looked about the same, and aside from Harry, no one was looking around. They all focused on their food. The only sound was the sound of clinking silverware and sniffling.

By the end of dinner, several students had simply gotten up and walked out unable to bear it any longer. When the last of the food disappeared, Professor McGonagall stood. She was at her usual place, leaving the headmaster's chair empty. When she spoke there was no need to call for silence; she had the undivided attention of every student in the hall.

"There will be a funeral for Professor Dumbledore the day before the end of term," she said. "You may go." There was none of the usual chatter as the students filed from the hall and back to their common rooms.

Harry, Ron and Hermione reclaimed the seats they had previously occupied, and resumed staring into the fire with tears falling from their eyes. Ron put his hand on Hermione's shoulder. They stayed that way for quite a while, until a tapping sound caused them all to look up. They were the only ones in the common room and there was a brown owl tapping at the window. Harry got up and let it in, untying the note from its leg. The owl left and Harry looked at the clock as he crossed the room to rejoin his friends. It was barely even seven-thirty. It seemed that everyone else in Gryffindor had decided that sleeping was easier than sitting with classmates grieving.

The empty common room made it seem like much later than seven-thirty. Harry sat down and took his time opening the note. He already knew who it was from. He would recognize her handwriting anywhere. After all, it had been her writing and signature on the letter that had saved him from living the rest of his life with the Dursleys. He opened the note and read it. And reread it, not quite believing it the first time.

Harry,

As you may know I am not the cold hearted statue that I appear to be, and am in fact human. (Yes Potter, I am human.) I believe it would be beneficial to both of us if you met me in my office at quarter to eight to discuss recent matters.

–Professor McGonagall

Harry briefly wondered if someone had kidnapped the real McGonagall and whoever wrote the note was an imposter, but dismissed the idea quickly. One could certainly understand his shock, however, because not only had she addressed him by his first name, but she had admitted that she needed to talk about what had happened, used actual sarcasm, and managed to pull it all off in a way that was completely Minerva McGonagall.

After deciding that it was in fact the real Professor McGonagall who wrote the note, Harry informed Ron and Hermione that he was going for a walk. Ron went to bed, and Hermione settled down to reread _Hogwarts: A History_ for the trillionth time. Harry climbed out of the portrait hole and checked his watch. He had five minutes to get to Professor McGonagall's office on time. Figuring no one would care, he started to run arriving a minute early and using that time to catch his breath. Then he knocked.

"Come in," came Professor McGonagall's voice, strict and proper as always. When Harry closed the door, McGonagall looked up.

"Good evening Potter, would you like some tea?"

"Yes, thank you Professor, and please just call me Harry." McGonagall summoned a house elf to bring tea and transfigured two comfortable chairs, handing him a cup of tea.

"Harry you meant a great deal to Professor Dumbledore. He wanted you to know that."

"Erm, yes," Harry said, doing his best to mask his discomfort with the praise, and failing miserably. "Professor?"

"Yes Harry?"

"Are you… are you okay? He was one of your best friends, wasn't he?"

"Yes he was," she said looking away. Harry feigned sudden interest in his sneakers to allow her time to compose herself.

"Yes, I'm fine. More importantly, what about you Harry? It has come as such a shock…" she trailed off.

"I think, I think with time I'll be alright. He- he told me when we left that he might not come back alive. He made me swear to save myself if it came to that. But I didn't really think… I always thought he was immortal. Like, I knew he wasn't, but it seemed like… it seemed like he wouldn't…"

"I know how you feel Potter," she said. "Where did you go? He left the school and didn't even tell me he was going, let alone where!" she said, her voice rising with anger and sadness. She had slipped back into using his surname as well. She silenced herself upon realizing exactly what she sounded like.

"I'm sorry Professor, but I can't tell you. And it's okay if you need to…" _What was he supposed to say now? Cry. Talk._ "You're only human Professor, and I promise I won't think any less of you." Eventually he stood up to leave.

"Are you sure you're alright Professor?"

"I'm fine Potter. I ought to be asking you the same question."

"I'll be fine. Good night Professor," Harry said, and he let himself out of her office knowing that she was lying. Then again, he knew that she had seen through his lie as well. The only difference between their lies was that she said 'I am' and he said 'I will be." Just as he closed the door he heard her footsteps coming closer. Knowing he either had to run for the tower or wait until she had gone to her private rooms, he chose the latter. He ducked behind a suit of armor, catching a glimpse of her when she walked past. She was crying. And obviously it was something he wasn't meant to see.

Harry returned to Gryffindor tower to find Hermione still immersed in _Hogwarts: A History._ She looked up when the portrait swung open and said,

"Where were you Harry? There are only ten minutes left until curfew. I was getting worried."

"Listen, Hermione, I went to- to his office earlier and McGonagall was there and she said if I needed to talk… and I offered the same to her, and that owl, it was from her. I didn't want you or Ron to find out, but 'Mione, I don't know what to do. We talked and she kept insisting that she was fine, but it's obvious that she's not, and when I left she went to her rooms and I saw her crying. 'Mione, I don't know what to do, and it's obvious she doesn't trust me or she wouldn't have waited 'till I left to cry, ya know?"

"Harry, she's just as fine as you are."

"'Mione, that's it, I'm not fine," Harry exclaimed, with mild irritation. He was, after all, stating the obvious.

"None of us are Harry. Please tell me you didn't just leave her," she watched him frown. "You did, didn't you?" He nodded. "Oh, Harry, we can't just leave her alone. She's taken care of us for the past six years and we should return the favor, even if it's only for one night." _Here we go again, Hermione trying to help,_ Harry thought, although, he did agree with her. Not that he'd ever admit that…

"She and Dumbledore were really close Harry, there were even rumors that they were, you know, together," Hermione said, whispering the last bit as if it was a secret when really it was a random piece of gossip that had been floating around the school since Dumbledore hired McGonagall. "She shouldn't be alone."

"Suppose you're right 'Mione," Harry said, sighing.

"Well, come on then," she said, grabbing him by the wrist and dragging him through the portrait hole.

"Two minutes 'till curfew, you won't get far," the fat lady called out after them, but they continued racing down the corridor. Luckily they didn't have to go far as Professor McGonagall's rooms weren't far from the tower. They reached the portrait that guarded her rooms undetected. Then again, it wasn't as if the remaining staff members were really in any condition to patrol the corridors. They took a few minutes to catch their breath, and when Hermione regained the ability to speak, she let Harry, and the rest of the castle, know.

"Oh crap. What was I_ thinking_?" she exclaimed.

"'Mione?"

"We don't know the password."

"Oh," Harry said. _Damn._ "Take a guess." Hermione tried several different things to no effect. Then she stepped closer to the portrait and whispered something that Harry couldn't hear. The portrait swung open and Harry and Hermione entered Professor McGonagall's rooms. They crossed the sitting room and located her bedroom. A moment later, and a whispered, "What the hell are we doing?" from Hermione, she pushed the door open a tiny bit and peeked inside.

Hermione took off her shoes and transfigured her robes into pajamas and Harry did the same. Hermione pushed the door open a little bit further, and they both moved so they could see into the room. Their professor had her face buried in her pillow and was crying. Her shoulders shook with sobs and she looked absolutely miserable. Hermione appeared rooted to the spot, and Harry had no intention of moving. As the minutes passed, Hermione noticed the sudden lack of sound. Glancing sideways at Harry and then back at the witch on the bed, Hermione realized that their esteemed professor had cried herself to sleep. Alone. With one final, "What the hell are we doing?" Hermione stepped into their teacher's bedroom with Harry close behind. After that first step, Hermione didn't move any further. It was only when her professor began to toss and turn, clearly having a nightmare that Hermione crept forward and magically untangled her professor's sheets. Harry tiptoed into the room and stood on the other side of the bed, looking at the woman sleeping in the middle of it. She looked as miserable as he felt.

Looking rather uncomfortable, in Harry's opinion, Hermione climbed into the bed, settling herself next to her teacher so she was holding herself up with one hand. She waited for Harry to get in on the other side of McGonagall.

"I see what you mean Harry, she's not fine. Probably hasn't eaten all day," Hermione whispered to Harry. Then she lay down and took her professor's hand.

"Goodnight Minerva," she whispered and then fell asleep. The older woman's nightmares ceased when the two teenagers crawled into bed with her and she actually got a whole night's sleep.

The next morning Hermione woke when it was still dark to find that her professor had moved closer to her and was now curled up right next to Hermione, her arm around her. Hermione was still holding the older woman's hand. Hermione slipped her free hand around her professor's waist, and noticed Harry do the same. Then she drifted off again.

She woke up several hours later to the sun shining in on them. Laying still, so as not to disturb the two sleeping beside her, Hermione used the time to think about the upcoming war. She knew Harry wasn't coming back the next year and that she and Ron were going with him. She knew that she would have to wipe her parents' memories and send them away to protect them and she knew she would have to tell Ron she loved him like a brother not a boyfriend. Deciding it was far too early in the morning to think about such things, Hermione simply listened to the breathing of the two next to her, knowing that she wouldn't have an opportunity to rest as peacefully until Voldemort was dead.

Upon seeing the older woman move and sensing the change in her breathing that indicated that she was going to wake up, Hermione jabbed Harry in the ribs and carefully returned her hand to where it had been resting on the older woman's waist. Harry woke up and scowled, before remembering where he was. Then he continued to scowl.

Even though Dumbledore was dead, Harry and Hermione weren't crying anymore because crying wouldn't do them any good. They knew that they could do nothing to bring him back but only accept what had happened and bring Voldemort down. And Snape, if they had the chance.

Professor McGonagall chose that moment to wake up. Before opening her eyes, she gathered three pieces of information. One, she had slept far too late, two there was at least one other person in her bed and three, this person had their arm around her waist and was holding her hand. She opened her eyes.

"Good morning Minerva," said Hermione Granger. Normally Professor McGonagall would give Hermione detention for using her first name, however, at the moment it wasn't one of her main concerns, considering there was a _student_ in her bed. She rolled over onto her back, forcing the arms wrapped around her waist to move away. She turned her head slightly to find that the student on the other side of her was Harry Potter.

"'Morning Professor," Harry said with a false cheeriness in his voice.

"Potter, Granger," she growled, "What the hell are you doing in my bed?"

"Remember Professor, last night?" Harry asked, in a tone of voice that could only be identified as the I-know-something-you-don't-know voice.

"Yeah, Minerva, we had no idea…" Hermione trailed off and proceeded to stroke her professor's hand with her fingers. Professor McGonagall, catching on, snarled,

"Potter, Granger, you know as well as I that nothing happened last night."

"Even though it so totally did," Harry muttered under his breath, effectively interrupting her. She gave him the glare she normally reserved for first years or Severus Snape, depending on which of the two was in the room, and continued to snarl,

"I went to sleep ALONE! How in the name of Merlin did you two get in here?"

Hermione glared at Harry, who dropped his act, seeing that it was only getting them closer to being murdered.

"Minerva, Harry came back to the common room and told me you were crying and I dragged him here, please don't be mad, I didn't think you should be alone," Hermione said as quickly as was humanly possible while trying not to cry. Professor McGonagall closed her eyes and took a deep breath ineffectively trying to calm herself.

"Miss Granger, I'm not really mad at you, I'm just upset by what happened," she said, choking on her words. It showed exactly how much she had been broken by this, because the witch they had known before that moment never would have admitted that.

"Professor, honestly it's okay if you cry," Harry told her. It was that and the fact that she knew she had to be strong for everyone as soon as she left her rooms that finally broke her down. Her anger with the two teens disappeared when the tears started flowing.

"He was my best friend," she said quietly and then let the tears flow. Hermione put her arms around her holding her tightly while Harry held her hand. To the two teens, it seemed like she cried forever, but they didn't complain, after all, they had done the same the previous day. Finally Professor McGonagall wiped her eyes and climbed out of the bed.

"Professor, were you and Dumbledore, you know, together?" Harry asked as he and Hermione got up.

"No, we weren't. He was gay," she said, her voice still sounding broken and hoarse. Harry got up and left the room to transfigure his pajamas into robes.

"And so am I," Professor McGonagall said, and it took Hermione a moment to realize what she had said. Hermione transfigured her pajamas back into robes and smoothed them out. She pulled her hair back with an elastic and stood in front of her professor, taking the older woman's hands in her own.

"Professor, I have one question."

"Yes Miss Granger? I have a question for you as well."  
"You first."

"How did you get in here and why? And why did you call me by my first name?" The normal strictness was returning, as much as it could when Professor McGonagall was wearing a nightgown and her hair had completely fallen from its normal bun.

"I believe that would classify as three questions, however, I will answer them. We came because you have taken care of us for six years, and we thought we could return the favor at least once. I'm not a Gryffindor for nothing Professor, although I didn't even realize I had called you by your first name," Hermione said and sighed.

"And… the first question Miss Granger?"  
"We- I guessed the password." This was clearly not the answer Professor McGonagall was expecting.

"You WHAT?" she shouted.

"Guessed your password, yes." Hermione waited a moment before continuing. "That is the source of my question Professor. You see, I was wondering why my name happens to be your password." Hermione looked at her Professor, who blushed and looked away.

"How'd you guess?"

"I've seen you looking at me. And I was getting desperate."

"Get. Out. _Now_," was the reply she got from an obviously furious and blushing Minerva McGonagall. Hermione didn't need telling twice, as she had realized that this was a touchy subject. She left the bedroom. Her Gryffindor courage was clearly already on vacation, because she knew she should stay and talk about it, but she didn't. She headed for the sitting room, grabbing Harry's arm and dragging him out of Professor McGonagall's quarters. Harry checked his watch; they had missed breakfast.

"How much of that conversation did you overhear?" Hermione snapped.

"Nothing," Harry replied, deciding that it wasn't a good time to announce that he had heard every word of it.

"Good, now let's get back to the common room before too many people notice that neither of us were in our dorms last night."

When they got to the common room, they realized that their plan wasn't going to work. They were greeted by a less than pleased Ron.

"Where were you last night?" Ron yelled at Harry, before he saw that Hermione was beside Harry. Their robes were slightly messed up, as was their hair. Well, Hermione's hair was, as Harry's messed up hair wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

"Oh, I see, you were off having fun and you left me here. Leave it to you Hermione, always choosing the famous one. Tell me, how was it?" Ron yelled.

"Ron, please, you have no idea… that wasn't what happened at all," Hermione said. "Ron, please listen to me…"

_He couldn't possibly be more wrong,_ she thought. _Boys._

**A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed the first time around. Hopefully you'll stick with me this time too. After I revise, there will be new chapters to be expected by the end of the month at the very latest. If that becomes a lie, you have my permission to hunt me down and attack. Anyways, please review, and thanks for putting up with me!**


	2. Memory

**A/N: Okay. Chapter Two. Again. If you've already read this, I definitely recommend reading this chapter again. I have added in a semi-side plot type thing. After this chapter, expect greater changes. Chapters three and four had the most fails. At this rate, chapter three may be reposted by the end of the weekend. Smiles! **

**Disclaimer: Still not mine!:)!**

**Chapter 2: Memory**

Having heard the entire conversation, much against his own will, Harry set off to find Ginny, in the hopes that she would kindly perform a memory charm on him. He didn't want to face the wrath of either witch when they found out he had overheard the entire conversation. Plus, he didn't really fancy the idea of spending his summer break in the mentally scarred state he was stuck in at present, due to the fact that the mental images that came along with overhearing the conversation didn't seem to want to go away.

Harry located Ginny in the sixth floor corridor, making her way back to the common room. She was thoroughly confused, but consented to save Harry from his mentally scarred state and after thanking her, he ran off to find Hermione. He now desperately wanted to remember what he had forgotten. He caught up with Hermione in the common room.

"So, Hermione, what was her password?"

"Gee, Harry, I rather fancy the idea of living."

"Was it dirty?"

"You are aware that we are talking about Minerva, our stern and _proper _transfiguration professor?"

"Yes, but… it must have been dirty. Why else would I have forgotten?"

"Harry freakin' Potter, did you hear that conversation?" Hermione yelled, attracting the attention of everyone in the common room.

"I must have, and it must have been dirty because I begged Ginny to perform a memory charm on me."

"Harry!"  
"Yes, Hermione?"

"You're sure you don't remember anything?"

"I remember what we did last night, obviously, but I seem to have forgotten the conversation that I apparently overheard this morning, and I remember you guessed the password and we slept with…"

He was cut off by Ron, who at these words jumped up and started yelling his head off and throwing hexes at Harry and Hermione, hitting other students who happened to be in the common room at the time.

"I knew it. You lied to me this morning. Hermione, you're nothing more than Gryffindor's slut," Ron continued yelling and hexing everything that moved, still failing to hit his targets. Professor McGonagall arrived, summoned by the chaos, and disarmed Ron. She performed the counter jinxes for many of Ron's curses, but still wound up sending about half the house to the Hospital Wing.

Once she had arrived, everyone had fallen silent, and Hermione was the first student to speak.

"If I'm Gryffindor's slut, what does that make you, the only boy I've ever slept with?" she said to Ron. He paled and the rest of the common room erupted in laughter. Professor McGonagall flashed Hermione a rare smile before dragging Ron to her office, with Harry, Hermione, and Ginny, who had reached the common room just before Ron's outburst, following.

"You slept with Ron?" Ginny asked, as they practically ran to keep up with Professor McGonagall.

"Sadly, last summer."

Harry snorted.

"What's so funny?" Ginny asked, feeling as though she was missing a huge detail.

"Well, my statement in the common room, had I been allowed to finish, it was completely harmless because we slept with…"

He was interrupted by McGonagall.

"Potter," she barked, "if you fancy your life, don't finish that statement."

Ginny looked at Harry, Hermione and McGonagall with a shocked but confused expression on her face. Hermione could practically see her thoughts. Ginny liked to gossip, and at such a distressing time, she needed something good. And there was definitely something here, if only she could find out what it was.

Professor McGonagall practically threw Ron into her office and the others entered and sat down in front of her desk.

"Can someone please explain what happened?"

"Well Professor, this git," Hermione said, pointing to Harry, "apparently heard our conversation this morning in entirety, and because he is so bloody noble, asked Ginny to perform a memory charm on him."

"Actually, he didn't seem noble at all when he begged me to perform the charm this morning. He mentioned something about being mentally scarred and then I erased his memory," Ginny said. "It was rather dunderheadish of me; I should have questioned him first."

"Unfortunately for me, when Ginny erased my memory I forgot that I was pretending I hadn't heard the conversation, so I went and asked Hermione about it."

"Ron gave us quite the greeting earlier when we showed up in the common room this morning," Hermione said. "Basically what just happened, without the hexes."

"You bloody would have too, if your _ex-_girlfriend and your best friend walked in looking like they did," Ron exclaimed for the sake of commenting, as no one was really listening to him. Ginny knew the story here had nothing to do with Ron. Her moronic brother was too stupid to do anything worth gossiping about.

"Great way to break up with her Ron, just start referring to her as your ex-girlfriend. I thought even you would have more class than that," Ginny said. Ron looked like he was about to pounce on her, but with a flick of McGonagall's wand, he was unable to leave his chair.

"Anyway," Hermione continued, ignoring Ron, "Harry was interrogating me and I asked what he remembered and he said, oh damn, what did you say?" she asked Harry.

"He said something about last night, Hermione guessing a password and him and Hermione sleeping with someone, but he didn't get to finish because of my flobberworm of a brother here," Ginny said. McGonagall got up and went to stand at the window to hide – _gods, _Ginny thought, _is she really blushing? This is good on its own. But I won't spread it just yet, not 'till I get my hands on the whole story._

"Ginny left out the best part," Hermione said laughing, "prior to my interrogation, Harry was trying to remember what the password was, and why it prompted him to have his memory erased, and he kept asking me if it was dirty, and I had to remind him who we were talking about." Hermione wasn't exactly sure why she was telling her professor this, but she just felt it ought to be said. _This is getting better and better,_ Ginny thought. _Although, this appears to be the end of this discussion. Perhaps Harry will help me unravel the story. _

"Weasley, you will have detention with Filch for the remaining days of this term, as well as three months next year, you are no longer a prefect, you will not be allowed to play Quidditch or go to Hogsmeade. Your parents will be informed. You may go. All of you," she said, turning to face them, her face not betraying any of the emotion she felt.

Harry, Ginny and Hermione had reached the door when Professor McGonagall spoke again.

"Potter, to save Miss Granger from your interrogations, my password was tarte boue and could, in a sense, be considered dirty.

"Uhm, thanks Professor," Hermione said, and the three headed back to the tower, the girls laughing and Harry looking confused.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"I think McGonagall actually has a sense of humor," Ginny said, through her laughter.

"What do you mean?"

"Harry, tarte boue is French for mud pie," Hermione explained with a straight face. Then she burst into laughter again. Realizing what was so funny, Harry began to laugh as well. They attracted plenty of looks walking back to the tower laughing hysterically in a time of such sadness. _But, _Hermione reasoned, _grief causes people to react differently. Some choose humor to diffuse the situation. In this case, it certainly worked._

**A/N: Better? It's longer at the very least. And, if you're a new reader, please, tell me what you think. Then again, I'm open to comments from anyone. Please, please tell me if it still kinda sucks. Reviews make me toss homework out the window and write fan fiction instead, so…**


	3. Funeral

**A/N: Here is the re-write of chapter three. It differs significantly from the original, so I recommend re-reading it. Sorry for the delay, it has been in the 90's for the past few days, and I haven't had the energy to do anything. Plus, everything in school is wrapping up now, so I have some work to do… my algebra final is next week, and I have to study, as I got a D on the last quiz. (Not normal- let me assure you. This term my algebra grade is a B, which is so abnormal; apparently my mom emailed the teacher, which I was ticked about.) But anyways, the next few weeks are going to be busy, but after that I'm free for most of the summer, and updates will be so much more frequent! Yay!**

**Funeral**

Before they knew it, it was the day of Dumbledore's funeral. The day dawned cool and cloudy. The air about the castle was unnaturally quiet and many students could be found in the Great Hall, crying, not eating. Even the Slytherins were there, and quiet, albeit for a different reason. Their silence was a silence of joy, as they knew the school would be changing. Some were silent with respect, however, many of the older students were Death Eaters or soon to be Death Eaters and they were silent with joy, mocking the mourners.

It was in this silence before the sun had truly risen that Hermione climbed the steps to the Owlry, a letter clasped in one hand, her wand in the other. She was already dressed in her black dress robes with her hair tied back with a black ribbon. She sent her letter on its way and returned to Gryffindor tower before the common room had filled. Unlike some, she felt no need to attend breakfast and become ill looking at all the food she knew she wouldn't be able to eat.

As Harry and Ron entered the common room Hermione looked up, and seeing Harry's questioning gaze, she nodded. Harry had wordlessly asked her if she had sent the letter. He had sent a similar one to the Dursley's days ago.

"Morning," she said to them.

"Well, we better get going before all the bacon's gone," Ron said.

"Forget breakfast," Harry said, "We don't want to be late." They exited the common room and walked to the Great Hall in silence, each concentrating on their plan to survive the next two hours. Their trunks were packed and after the funeral they would change into regular robes or Muggle clothing and board the train to begin the journey home.

Everyone, that is, except Harry and Hermione. Harry was staying to search the castle for horcruxes, and Hermione was staying on the pretense of helping him, although that wasn't the real reason behind her reluctance to leave the castle. She knew she had to say something to her professor before they left on the horcrux hunt, as there was a great possibility that they might not make it back alive, and even if they did, McGonagall might not survive the war. No, it would be best to speak with her before leaving.

Ron had opted to go home to prevent his mother from worrying and trying to stop them from leaving, although she would merely be delaying that. Hermione briefly wondered if Harry had told McGonagall he was staying to look for horcruxes and she half hoped that he hadn't told her. Hermione's thoughts were interrupted as they joined the steady stream of mourning students heading out to the grounds.

Harry, Ron and Hermione sat amongst their classmates. Hermione cried and Harry and Ron barely managed to hold their tears. They endured the funeral in silence, all together but so alone. Several people spoke about Dumbledore, but Hermione didn't hear what they said. She was listening alright, her brain just didn't turn the sounds into words. It was a short ceremony, only about half an hour. Afterwards, there was a brief gathering in the Great Hall for the students and the guests who came to the funeral. Hermione, Harry and Ron spent the mandatory gathering hiding out in a corner of the Hall, hoping not to be spotted by anyone who would want to talk to Harry. Being part of the Golden Trio sure had its disadvantages at times…

At last it was time to leave. Harry and Hermione left the Hall together, on the pretense of retrieving something from the common room. Really, they snagged their luggage and moved it to the Room of Requirement, where they planned to stay until they completed their task. They both changed out of their dress robes and into Muggle clothes. Then they joined the mass of students heading toward the station in Hogsmeade. By this time Hermione could barely remember the funeral. She and Harry waited on the platform, waving to Ron and Ginny until the train left the station. They attracted several strange looks from the staff as they made their way back up to the castle, but no one said anything. During their walk they didn't speak because there was nothing to say. It was really happening now. Term was over, and in a few short weeks they would be on the run.

As they neared Dumbledore's tomb, Hermione glanced toward it, seeing a figure sitting on a rock facing the tomb and knowing in an instant who it was.

"Harry," she whispered, touching his arm, "I'm going to stay out here for a few minutes."

"Sure 'Mione," he replied, following her gaze. He walked away and Hermione stood, frozen in place until he had reached the castle. Then she walked slowly toward the lone figure.

Upon reaching the rock, Hermione sat down next to McGonagall and took her cold hand. She waited until her professor, the "emotionless" Minerva McGonagall raised her tear-filled eyes to meet Hermione's and then Hermione spoke.

"I can't begin to imagine how hard this is for you, just like I can't begin to imagine what it would be like for me if Harry died. You need to talk to someone. And we need to talk about…"

"Miss Granger, you are a student. I will not be sharing my innermost thoughts and secrets with a student. I am fine."

"I'm going to overlook your last statement, Professor. I knew you'd say that. Anyways, about…"

"Yes. We—I can explain," she said trying without success to hide the pain in her voice.

"That's it, I don't think you can," Hermione said. "I don't think you understand enough to explain. Please, save us both the pain. I'll be here for a week."

"Who gave you permission to stay, Miss Granger?" Professor McGonagall said coldly. Hermione paused. She was unsure as to what to say to this. She decided on a part of the truth. After all, the best lies are based in truth.

"Harry and I are staying to attend to unfinished business. Harry needs to do something. I know this isn't a good time to tell you this, but we—Harry, Ron and I, we aren't coming back next year. We need to find… I mean, Dumbledore wanted us to do something."

"What is it? Tell me Miss Granger. Whether or not you are dropping out, I am still your professor. Answer my questions."

"No one gave us permission Professor, but we're here and we're staying. And I can't tell you what we're doing. If Dumbledore didn't tell you, you weren't meant to know."

"Miss Granger, I am appalled by your actions. This is uncalled for." _Great, _Hermione thought,_ now I've gotten her angry and she'll never talk._

They sat in silence for a while after that, until Professor McGonagall spoke.

"I believe, Miss Granger, that it is time for us to return to the castle." With that, she headed back toward the castle, and Hermione nearly had to run to catch up, noticing in the process that it had become quite late indeed. In the Entrance Hall, Hermione called out to her professor.

"I'll be here for a week. Owl me when you're ready to talk about recent events or about us." Hermione turned and headed down to the kitchens to get supper, leaving a very confused Minerva McGonagall to sort out her emotions.

**A/N: This chapter is by far the most changed from the original version so far. Is it better? Or if you're a new reader, does it still suck, or is it okay? At least it is more detailed and longer.**


	4. That Week  Part 1

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. I've had this for a while, I just didn't get around to updating. **

The next morning Harry and Hermione summoned Dobby who brought them their breakfast. When they finished eating, Hermione said,

"So, now what?"

"We find the horcrux."

"From what Dumbledore showed you, do you have any idea what or where this object might be?"

"No. It just seems like he would hide one here."

"Hang on, let me get my notes." Hermione got up and went to her trunk, removing a Muggle notebook and pen. She returned to her seat at the table across from Harry.

"I took notes after all of your meetings."

"Wow, Hermione you really are a genius."

"Uhm, thanks Harry. Trouvaille Hogwarts," she muttered.

"What does that spell do," Harry asked.

"It's one of my better finds. It allows me to find a certain word of phrase in a text so I don't have to read through everything. You see, trouvaille is French for find and I added the word Hogwarts at the end. It's highlighted all the entries that have the word Hogwarts in them."

"That's brilliant Hermione!"

"Well, yes, it certainly saves time. I'll start looking through this. Can you try to figure out how to destroy this thing when we find it?"

"Hermione, there's no information on horcruxes in the school library, and I can't really skip into Knockturn Alley looking for a book on horcruxes, now can I?"

"There aren't any books on horcruxes in the library now, but during Voldemort's school days there were. Dumbledore had them all removed when he became headmaster. I have them all."

"How'd you get them?" Harry asked, as Hermione nonverbally summoned the stack of books from her trunk.

"I summoned them from Dumbledore's office yesterday morning."

"Hermione!"

"It's not like we're using them for evil, Harry. If Dumbledore hadn't wanted me to have them he would have made it so I couldn't get them."

"Why didn't he just give them to us then?"

"I don't know. He probably wanted them to remain hidden forever. I'll probably destroy them after this is all over."

"_You_ destroying books? Hermione, what's gotten into you?"

"War, Harry. War changes things. It changes people. We're just kids."

With that Hermione started looking through her notes, and Harry used her spell to look through the books to find out how to destroy the horcruxes.

A few hours passed and Harry said,

"Hey, Hermione, I think I've found something."

"Me too!"

"Look, here, it says you can use Fiendfyre, basilisk venom or the killing curse."

"Harry that's brilliant. There are still basilisk fangs in the Chamber of Secrets."

"Hey, maybe the horcrux is hidden in the Chamber."

"I don't know, Harry. I think that whatever it is, it'll be in a place that was important to him. It also seems like he was looking for objects that were important to him. The ring, that was his grandfather's, hidden in his grandfather's house. The diary, that was his, and he gave it to Lucius Malfoy. He probably entrusted a few more with his most loyal followers. And of course the locket. Slytherin's locket in the cave that he visited as a young boy."

"Well, when would he have been able to hide something at Hogwarts?"

"He applied for a job here, a few years after finishing school. Dumbledore refused him; said he was too young. This was after the disappearances began to occur."

"So he must have hidden whatever it was on his way to or from Dumbledore's office."

"Yes. That's what I was thinking as well. Now, where could he hide something well enough that it wouldn't ever be found between the Entrance Hall and Dumbledore's office?"

"We could take a walk."

"We should go see Professor Slughorn. I'm sure the basilisk could be very useful for potions ingredients."

"Oh, okay. We should see McGonagall about that. Slughorn doesn't seem so keen on being in my presence since I took that memory from him," Harry said.

"I'd rather just talk to him," Hermione argued.

"McGonagall would need to know anyways," Harry countered, "plus, I've got something else I want to ask her."

"Oh, fine. We can talk to them both at once, if they're in the Great Hall. If not, we can get lunch in the kitchens and go talk to them, before looking for possible hiding places for the horcrux."

"I'm starving. Let's go."

Together they exited the Room of Requirement and raced each other to the Great Hall. The staff was eating in the Hall, and Harry and Hermione were invited to join them. During the meal, Hermione brought up the basilisk parts, discussing it with Professor Slughorn. Harry mentioned it to Professor McGonagall. She grudgingly agreed, and offered to owl a handful of potions experts who could be trusted to use the basilisk for good not evil purposes.

After the meal was over, McGonagall rushed off to her office to owl the right people and Harry and Hermione began their search of the castle.

"Harry, didn't you say you had something else to ask McGonagall?"

"Did I?"

"Yes, you did."

"Well, I've forgotten it now," he replied, and Hermione realized there never was something else, he had just said it as a way to get her to agree. They got all the way to the fourth floor when Hermione exclaimed,

"Harry, oh how could I have been so stupid! We're looking for a place to hide things, right? Well, how about the Room of Requirement."

"Where I hid Snape's book!"

"Let's go!"

They began sprinting up the stairs until they reached the hallway that led to the Room of Requirement. Harry walked back and forth thinking very hard about how he needed to find the Half-Blood Prince's book. After a minute the door appeared and Harry and Hermione entered.

"Accio horcrux," Hermione said. Nothing happened.

"Oh well. We know where it's hidden. Let's go back to the notes maybe we'll find something…"

"Harry Potter, did you just suggest that we go back to the _books?"_

"Yes," he said as they stepped out of the Room of Requirement. Hermione paced back and forth in front of the wall, thinking of the room they had stayed in the night before. The door appeared and they entered. Hermione immediately took her notebook and pen and opened to the first page the page of notes on locations and objects that were horcruxes.

So far, she had the diary, the ring, which were both destroyed, and the locket, which they had to find. The only clue on that one was the initials RAB.

"Harry, Harry, look at this. I'd forgotten that memory about Hufflepuff's cup."

"Oh yeah."

"Yeah, it's one of the horcruxes!" Hermione added this to her list, and she also made note that there was a horcrux hidden in the Room of Requirement.

"Well, we know something about five of the seven, and two of those five are destroyed," Hermione said.

"Now if we could just find out where the rest of them are. It'd be faster, I mean, I don't want to run and hide, I want to stand and fight," Harry said.

"Yes, Harry, I agree. We all want it to be over."

An owl soared into the room through a window Hermione hadn't noticed until then. Harry took the note off its leg, and read it, Hermione looking over his shoulder.

Mr. Potter and Miss Granger,

I trust your project is going well. Regarding the basilisk, the appropriate people are available tomorrow morning. We will meet you at the entrance to the chamber at nine o'clock, immediately after breakfast.

MM

"Okay, we get fangs tomorrow," Harry said.

"Oh damn, Harry, basilisk venom eats through everything. Carrying the fangs around will be so impractical. We won't be able to carry a fang around with us, and we won't be able to get back into the castle during term. Tomorrow morning is going to be a total waste of time!"

"No, it won't. It'll keep McGonagall from trying to find out what we're up to for an entire day," Harry said.

"Fiendfyre is too dangerous to use to destroy them. I don't dare use that, and I refuse to use the killing curse. Harry you stabbed the basilisk with the sword of Gryffindor."

"Yeah, so?"

"The sword's goblin made. It only takes in that which makes it stronger."

"So the venom is in the sword?"

"Yes. We just need to retrieve the sword from McGonagall's office without her knowing."

"Can't we just go ask for it?" Harry asked.

"No, she wouldn't give it to us, we'd have to explain but if we take it, she won't know who it was, and she'll be safe… I can't put her in danger like that Harry. We're going to have to steal it."

"Let's do it right before we leave," Harry suggested.

"We can wait until the time comes. We don't even have anything to destroy yet. She won't be expecting us to take the sword. She'll assume it was someone else when she realizes it's gone." With that, Harry got out some of his defense books and began practicing spells. Hermione continued studying her notes.

"Harry there are two objects from the founders of Hogwarts on my list here, do you think that he could have been looking for objects from the founders?"

"That's brilliant. He's already got something from Slytherin, and assuming the cup is one, Hufflepuff. That leaves Gryffindor and Ravenclaw."

"Accio _Hogwarts: A History_," Hermione called, and the large textbook flew out of her trunk and into her arms.

"Trouvaille Ravenclaw. Look it says here that the only surviving relic belonging to Ravenclaw is the diadem."

"Huh?"

"Ravenclaw's lost diadem," Hermione said, by way of explanation.

"Hermione the word lost…"

"For now," Hermione replied. Harry just shrugged.

"Let's take a break for now, alright Hermione?"

"But Harry…"

"Come on, let's go do something else. Didn't you say we needed to brew some potions?"

"Oh, yes of course. After we deal with the basilisk tomorrow we have to find the Grey Lady the ghost of Ravenclaw tower."

"Okay," Harry replied.

They gathered their potions things and set up to brew.

"What are we making Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Healing potions mostly. And polyjuice and some Felix Felicis."

"But the last two take forever to make, don't' they?"

"I've started already. Four batches of polyjuice and one of Felix Felicis."

"I thought you were against liquid luck," Harry stated.

"Yes, well, this is war Harry. Things change."

"But…"

"Harry, Voldemort's cheating. He's cheating death. If we don't have some damn good escape plans, we're going to be dead. Here," she said, passing him her potions book. "Start prepping ingredients for this one."

While Harry was preparing ingredients, Hermione took a potions text she had borrowed from the library and went down to the second floor girls' bathroom. She had a few last steps to complete on the polyjuice but it would be finished that evening. As for the luck, she would have to hope that none of the potions people found it. She finished and bottled the polyjuice potion and cleaned up the mess. Then she returned to the Room of Requirement to eat dinner with Harry before starting the healing potions and concealing her final potion in the bathroom.

**A/N: Please review!**


	5. That Week Part 2

**A/N: Yay! I finally update! Again. The world must be ending... No, it's just because I am now totally inspired... no idea why, but hey I'm not complaining.**

The next morning Harry and Hermione had breakfast in the Great Hall with the professors. At exactly nine o'clock, the doors to the Great Hall opened and Filch entered followed by several potions experts. Harry, Hermione, Slughorn and McGonagall joined the group and headed off towards the second floor girls bathroom where Harry opened the chamber. At the bottom, one of the potions masters began to collect snake skin, and the rest continued into the inner part of the chamber where the dead basilisk was.

Hermione found the whole thing absolutely revolting and Harry privately agreed with her.

They spent a few minutes discussing their plans for locating the remaining horcruxes and destroying them.

"Hermione I'd like to go to Godric's Hollow. Not right away… but…"

"Oh, Harry, but he'll expect you to go there. If we go, we'll be walking into a trap."

"We'll wait. Go to Grim…"

"Yeah, first. We can plan from there."

"Let's get out of here. This place is bothering me. I almost died here. Ginny almost died here."

"Yeah. It's an awful place."

They approached Professor McGonagall together.

"Can we leave Professor? This place is really starting to creep me out," Hermione said.

"Yes, of course. I can hardly blame you. I'd rather like to leave myself."

Hermione nodded, and they turned and walked away, back to the outer chamber, where Harry summoned his broomstick. Just as he was beginning to wonder if his summoning charm had worked, his Firebolt appeared. He climbed on first, and Hermione climbed on behind him. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around him, only letting go when she felt her feet touch the floor. Then she checked the potion, completed the next steps, and left it to simmer overnight.

"Harry, we need to find the Grey Lady."

"Okay, Hermione, but what about the sword? Shouldn't we get that now, while we have the chance?"

"No. McGonagall will know it was us, because the only ones in the castle right now are us and the other professors. She'll know who took it, since Snape's gone… and she'll want to know why. She won't understand."

"Fine. Hey, Nick, can you help us find the Grey Lady?" Harry said, as Nearly Headless Nick floated past.

"Certainly Mr. Potter. Wait here."

Harry and Hermione waited in the second floor corridor for less than ten minutes when Nick returned with the Grey Lady.

"What can you tell us about the Ravenclaw diadem?" Harry asked.

"It was my mother's. I stole it."

"You're Helena Ravenclaw!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Do you know where it is now?" Harry asked.

"Why do you seek it?" Helena asked.

"Lord Voldemort, Tom Riddle, may have used it for… evil… purposes. We have to destroy it. We don't want to use it," Harry explained.

"I'm sorry. I cannot help you."

"But don't you want him destroyed too?"

"Certainly. He has caused my young students so much pain…"

"Then help us!"

"The diadem will not help you."

"You've already told someone this story, haven't you?"

"Yes."

"His name was Tom Riddle, wasn't it? He was a very persuasive boy. If you help us it will take away the guilt… just tell us where you hid the diadem," Hermione said.

"When I stole the diadem, I ran to Albania with it. I hid it in a forest."

"Albania!" Harry exclaimed, "And Voldemort found it and turned it into a horcrux. When he needed a place to hide years later, he returned to that forest."

The Grey Lady nodded and floated away.

"Excellent, Hermione, that must be what's hidden in the Room of Requirement. Let's go!"

"Harry, that room is full of stuff, and we don't even know what this thing looks like."

"Flitwick's head of Ravenclaw, he'll be able to tell us," Harry said.

"That's brilliant Harry. Why didn't I think of that?"

They ran to Flitwick's office, and found him there.

"Professor Flitwick?"

"Miss Granger."

"We were wondering, Professor, whether you could tell us where to find a picture of Ravenclaw's diadem."

"Miss Granger, Mr. Potter, Minerva tells me you two are here because Albus set you a task. How does the lost diadem of Ravenclaw have anything to do with this assignment?"

"It's a long story, Professor," Hermione replied.

"Very well. There is a statue of Rowena Ravenclaw with the diadem on it in the Ravenclaw common room."

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said, and the two of them ran from the room.

They were out of breath when they reached the portrait that guarded the Ravenclaw common room.

"We need to enter the common room," Harry said, having caught his breath before Hermione.

"Dear me, you're not a Ravenclaw!"

"Please, Professor Flitwick sent us. We need to look at the replica of Ravenclaw's diadem.

"Oh, alright. The diadem is lost, Harry Potter."

"Yeah, we know." Then the portrait swung forward to allow them to enter. They crossed the room quickly.

"Hermione I've seen this before," Harry said. Hermione gave him a puzzled look.

"Near where I hid Snape's potions book."

"Let's go then," Hermione said, while in her mind comparing this to a scavenger hunt. They left the room and began to run back to the Room of Requirement.

"The lost diadem of Ravenclaw is about to be found," Hermione said, just loud enough for the portrait to hear.

They spent the rest of the day searching for the diadem.

"Harry, Harry I found it!" Hermione exclaimed breathlessly.

"Good! Great actually!" Harry said, as his stomach growled. "And here's Snape's potions book."

"We should take that. There are counter curses in there that could, can and will save lives. Ours and the other Order members."

"Yeah," Harry replied.

"Accio Snape's journals. Accio Snape's stuff." Nothing happened. "Wishful thinking I guess," Hermione said.

"No, I was thinking the same thing," Harry said. "Let's head to the Great Hall. Now. I'm sure the professors won't mind if we join them for dinner."

"You boys. So typical. Always thinking about food. Speaking of which, we need to pack some."

"Uh, Hermione, can we worry about that later, like after we eat."

**A/N: Who should Hermione like in this story? Harry, Victor Krum or someone else entirely... Let me know in your reviews... Still one chapter to go before this detail is necessary though, but please let me know who you think...**

**Please Review... !**


	6. That Week Part 3

**A/N: Okay, so much for "summer's coming, updates will be more frequent." All I can say is this summer was either one of the best of one of the worst in my life, depending on which part you look at. I suck, I know. I can't believe it's been so long. I can't help but feel like I'm missing notes for the rest of this story... Updates will be very random. I'm now in high school, in three difficult honors classes, struggling with my term project for Biology, two easy but time-wasting classes, and a sport and a club. Then homework. Fanfiction has been majorly displaced. I'm sorry. But I will try to be better about the updating.**

The next morning they awoke and Hermione left to tend to her potion while Harry began to prepare ingredients for another potion on Hermione's list using Snape's book.

They spent several days making potions and spending mealtimes speculating the locations of the remaining horcruxes.

The second to last day they planned to remain at Hogwarts, Hermione woke long before the sun and when she returned to the Room, Harry was just getting up. She had finished the Felix Felicis and cleaned everything up after bottling it. Then she called a house-elf to bring them breakfast while Harry showered and dressed. After eating, they began to sort through their trunks.

By lunchtime they had a pile of things that they were taking with them and a pile each of things they wouldn't need anymore. They repacked these things into their trunks and Hermione pulled out her beaded bag and they put all the things they were taking into it. Harry demanded that they break for lunch after that, and so they walked down to the kitchens.

They spent the early afternoon in one of the courtyards. Harry was "reading" a defense book. As if he thought Hermione didn't notice the magazine Ron had confiscated from some younger boys. She chose to ignore it and made a list of things they still had to do.

Before they went to the Weasley's they had to stop by Privet Drive and her parents' house and go grocery shopping in the Muggle world, and of course, steal the sword of Gryffindor.

Once they arrived at the Weasley's, Hermione didn't expect they'd get much time to plan, as Mrs. Weasley was bound to object to the three of them dropping out of school for unexplainable reasons.

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to take care of my parents and go grocery shopping. I'm also going to stop by your aunt and uncle's house to make sure they're going into hiding."

"Take someone else with you," Harry said, without looking up from his reading.

"I will. Who do I ask though?"

"Try McGonagall. Lupin, Tonks…" Harry suggested.

Hermione wasn't sure she would manage to accomplish what needed to be done if McGonagall went with her, but she figured she had to ask her first.

…

"Professor McGonagall?"

"Sit down, Miss Granger."

"I'm not a student here anymore, you may call me Hermione," Hermione said. She hoped McGonagall wouldn't treat her like a student any longer because she would probably never attend school again.

"I'm sure you had a reason for coming to see me, Hermione."

"Yes. You see, I need to venture out into Muggle London for a few hours and I need someone to go with me as Harry is still underage."

"Yes."

"Sorry?"

"Before you ask, yes, I will accompany you. Allow me a few minutes to change my attire into something more suitable."

"Thank you Professor. I'll be in the Entrance Hall."

With that, Hermione headed to the Entrance Hall to wait, desperately hoping the trip wouldn't be terribly awkward. She shrank her beaded bag and put it in her pocket, stowing her wand in her sleeve where she could get to it at a moment's notice. She hadn't been waiting long when McGonagall appeared.

They walked to the gates, and Hermione awkwardly took her professor's hand as she apparated them to Harry's aunt and uncle's house. She rang the doorbell.

"Hello, Mrs. Dursley?"

"What do you want?" Petunia snapped.

"I know that some of our kind have already visited you to inform you of the danger you will be in."

Petunia nodded.

"May we come in?"

"Yes, I suppose…" And she stepped out of the way to allow them in, if a bit unwillingly. They made their way to the kitchen where Vernon and Dudley were sitting, eating.

"I'm Hermione Granger and this is Minerva McGonagall. Harry wants me to make sure you are going to go into hiding."

"Why should we?" Vernon demanded, with his mouth full of food.

"Voldemort will hunt you down and torture you for information on Harry. And then he will kill you. He has thousands of dementors at his control. Ask your son about those."

Dudley, who hadn't been paying attention until then, looked up.

"There are more of those?"

"Yes. All this fog, it's not bad weather. It's the dementors. You can't see them, but they're out there and they'll suck your soul out through your mouth," Hermione said. Dudley looked terrified.

"Why didn't the boy come tell us this himself?" Vernon asked.

"He is underage and still has the Trace on him. If he had come, it is likely that we would all be dead by now." Actually, Lily's protection would have prevented that but Hermione was trying to make her point, and left that part out.

Petunia made a noise, as if she wanted to say something, and Hermione turned to look at her.

"Vernon, I know what these people can do. We should go."

"I'm not leaving my life because of that bloody boy!" Vernon exclaimed.

"I'm going with them, Mum. I don't want to be around those dementy things," Dudley said. "Who are you anyways?"

"I'm Harry's friend," Hermione said.

"Alright, alright, what do we have to do?" Vernon asked.

"Be ready to go in three days like the other told you. Go with them. Trust them. Harry wants you to be safe."

They turned to leave, and Dudley followed them out into the garden.

"Hermione?" he said uncertainly. She turned.

"It was nice to meet you," he said, extending at fat hand. Hermione shook it and smiled.

"Tell Harry thanks for saving my life." _Wow,_ Hermione thought, _this idiot changed._

As Hermione and McGonagall set off down the walk, Dudley called out,

"See you around someday?"

"Probably not," Hermione replied, and she could have sworn Dudley looked disappointed.

They walked a little way, until they reached a spot secluded enough to apparate from, and again Hermione took her professor's hand, this time apparating them to her parents house.

"Hi, Mum, Dad."

"Hermione, darling!" her mother exclaimed pulling her into a hug. Hermione and McGonagall stepped into the house.

"Mum, Dad, this is Professor McGonagall." They greeted her.

"I'm afraid we can't stay long. Miss Granger –Hermione, insisted upon saying goodbye," Professor McGonagall explained. Mr. and Mrs. Granger looked at Hermione with confusion in their eyes.

"The dark wizard I told you about… I have to help my friends defeat him. There is a good chance we will not survive," Hermione said bluntly with tears in her eyes. "So I came to say goodbye and to protect you from harm." Before her last words could register in their minds Hermione hugged her parents and told them she loved them. Then she pulled her wand on them and whispered, "Obliviate." The spell that would save them.

She had convinced them that they were Monica and Wendell Wilkins and their greatest dream was to move to Australia. She left with tears in her eyes because her parents' new identities did not include a daughter.

Then Hermione and McGonagall went grocery shopping. Hermione bought mostly canned food and power bars. When they left the store and Hermione had stowed her purchases in her bag, McGonagall apparated them back to Hogwarts. They walked up to the castle together and parted ways in the Entrance Hall. McGonagall headed towards the kitchens and Hermione made her way back to the Room of Requirement where she was greeted by Harry.

"How was it? Did my relatives cooperate?"

"Oh Harry, you didn't see my parents. They were so pleased, when I showed up out of nowhere. You should have seen their faces when I pulled my wand on them. They looked so scared, like they thought I would hurt them, but by saving them, I only hurt me.

"It'll be okay, Hermione," Harry said, pulling her into a hug. "It'll all be over soon." They stayed silently holding each other for a few long moments.

**A/N: Please review. Also, please check out my other works! Feedback is always welcomed.**


	7. Confessions

**A/N: Here's the bit about Hermione and Minerva. If you don't like what I do in this chapter, please let me know. Please Please Please don't let it discourage you from continuing with the story. If you hate that part soooo much, JSYK, it won't be a prominant part of the remainder of the story.**

**Happy Birthday Minerva! October 4...**

**Anyways, on with the story.**

While writing a letter to Ron about their progress, or what little she could say in a letter, basically that they would be at the Burrow soon, and not to worry, Hermione was interrupted by Harry.

"Hermione, were you going to let that poor owl sit on the windowsill all day?"

"What? Oh…" she said as he handed her a piece of parchment folded in half. She set it underneath a pile of notes on her table.

"Aren't you going to read it?" he asked.

"No," she replied. _ Not with you here._ He shrugged and returned to reading. Yes, the great Harry Potter was actually reading a book. Hermione was shocked too, until she got a good look at it. It was that awful magazine again. This time though, he had at least charmed it to look like it was about dueling.

By this time, even someone as dumb as Goyle would have figured out that McGonagall wasn't telling the truth when she had told him her password, and that something had occurred between her and Hermione. Naturally, Harry, flaunting his intelligence, was desperately trying to figure out what he had forgotten and why he had chosen to forget.

While he was busy, Hermione opened the note. Sure enough it was from McGonagall.

Miss Granger,

Meet me by the lake at noon.

MM

Hermione looked at her watch. It was ten to noon. _Geez, she didn't give me much time to get down there…_

"Harry, I'm going down to the lake to talk to McGonagall."

"Yeah, okay…" he said, sounding disinterested.

Minutes after Hermione left Harry cast a silencing spell and donned the invisibility cloak, sprinting through the castle to McGonagall's office. He muttered the password, snuck in, still invisible, stole the sword and replaced it with a copy. Then he called Dobby.

"What is yous doing in Mistress Head's office, Harry Potter?"

"Uh, Dobby, listen, I need you to promise me that you won't tell anyone I was in here, even McGonagall."

"Anything for Harry Potter sir."

"Can you take me to the Black Lake, Dobby?"

"Of course, Harry Potter, sir."

Dobby apparated Harry to the lake.

"Thank you Dobby," Harry whispered to the elf, who disappeared only seconds later.

Harry arrived only moments after Hermione, and stood leaning against a tree close enough to the pair so that he could hear them. Even though he was invisible, he didn't want them to walk into him, hence hiding by the tree.

When Hermione had arrived at the lake, she immediately went to stand beside her professor who was gazing out across the lake.

"Miss Granger," McGonagall said, by way of greeting.

"Professor."

"Hermione I… I don't know what to say," McGonagall said, sounding sad and broken. That fact that she was even talking to Hermione said more than any words she could possibly say. She was falling apart.

"Why don't you start at the beginning, Professor? I know you like me. What else could you accidentally reveal?" McGonagall almost smiled at that.

"Miss Granger, while I may have certain _feelings_ towards you…"

"I was never meant to know?"

"Yes. Nothing can happen between us now because of the war," McGonagall said softly.

Hermione said nothing.

"We can't…"

"Professor, I never said we could. I said I wasn't disgusted. I wanted to talk to you again, set things straight. I'm sorry Professor, but I'm straight. I have nothing against you for your choices, but I'm straight and engaged… but that part's a secret," Hermione said.

"You…" McGonagall whispered.

"Professor, I admire you very much, I always have, but there will be no romance between us. I am engaged to Victor Krum, and that will never change."

"Hermione please, please…" _Professor McGonagall begging, that's something I never want to hear again, _Hermione thought.

"Professor, I would be interested in friendship, nothing more. I've known you've liked me for almost a year and I've had time to think about it. But there is nothing. We can be friends."

"I don't understand."

"Oh but you do, Professor. You are sad and have been broken by the death of a close friend, while at the same time a student discovered your most guarded secret. You've had a huge amount of responsibility dumped on your shoulders. Right now, you want someone else to be in charge. You want someone to tell you what to do."

This was the moment Hermione had know was coming. Minerva McGonagall began to cry. Hermione wrapped her arms around the older woman and tried to comfort her.

Whilst all this was happening, Harry Potter stood by his tree. He had nearly fainted when he realized McGonagall liked Hermione and he almost choked on air when Hermione said she was engaged. He was rather pleased though at how well she handled the situation. If it had been him… it would have ended in disaster as most things that came into contact with Harry Potter did. He watched as his strict head of house cried in his best friend's arms and he was determined to bring Voldemort to his downfall. For her, for Hermione and Krum, as much as he disliked the idea of them together, for Ron and his family, for everyone.

Hermione and McGonagall began to walk back towards the castle and Harry ran ahead, knowing he had to beat Hermione back to the Room of Requirement and appear busy. Before he was out of earshot he heard the last of the conversation.

"My password… it was a secret…" Professor McGonagall said.

"Yes, Professor, I know. That's why secrets don't make good passwords," Hermione replied.

**A/N: I know, I know, they aren't together. Please don't murder me. I just can't bare myself to write it that way... plus I have a new plot idea. Basic summary of future chapters, which may change at any time.**

**Harry faces Hermione about his evesdropping.**

**Harry and McGonagall become friends.**

**Time spent at the Burrow. Ginny continues to try to find out what it was she wiped from Harry's memory. Truth or dare may be involved... **

**Any other suggestions are more than welcome! I do have a plan, however this was the last of my written chapters, so I have no idea when the next updates will be. School calls :( **

**I chose to update this instead of doing my homework, so please review and a make it worth it! Even if you just tell me I should have done my homework... Please?**


	8. Confrontations & Drama

**A/N: Here's a chapter. I'm sorry it's been so long. I'm sorry it's so short. I have finals next week, Thursday and Friday, so I'm going to be studying like mad until then. I was going to have this out last weekend, but something came up. **

When Hermione returned to the Room of Requirement, Harry was sitting at the table, reading his magazine again. He looked up when she entered.

"I got the sword. There's a copy in McGonagall's office so she won't notice it's missing."

"Oh, Harry that's brilliant. Now we're all set to leave tomorrow morning."

"About that… I need to talk to someone before we leave."

"Tomorrow evening then," Hermione said, and she set about packing their things into her beaded bag. It was amazing how their belongings had gotten so spread out over the course of only one extremely busy week. She was almost finished packing when Harry cleared his throat.

"Uh, Hermione, there's something I need to tell you."

"Okay," Hermione replied, distracted.

"I uh, kind of overheard your conversation at the lake… with McGonagall."

"Harry!" Hermione screeched, "How could you?"

"I'm sorry Hermione. I was curious. Congratulations on your engagement, by the way."

"Oh, Harry… it was so hard, so awful…" Hermione said, through her tears. It amazed Harry how quickly she could go from shouting at him to sobbing.

"Hermione, it's okay. It will all work out. She'll get over it. You will too. Things like this happen all the time."

"But the "she" is never supposed to be your teacher," Hermione said, and Harry laughed.

"I suppose not."

"What am I going to do?" Hermione asked.

"Give her time. After the war is over, talk to her again. Maybe offer friendship."

"Thanks Harry," Hermione said, wiping away her tears. She didn't voice her worry; what if one or both of them didn't survive the war?

After a few minutes of silence, Harry started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Hermione asked, with a snap of irritation in her voice.

"Nothing," Harry snorted out. Hermione stood up.

"Harry Potter, I have just broken someone's heart, and we are in the middle of a war that neither of us is likely to survive, and you start laughing and tell me it's nothing! Honestly," she sighed.

"I was just thinking, Ron's going to go ballistic when he finds out. Perhaps you shouldn't tell him until the war is over."

"I wasn't planning on it. You weren't supposed to know either."

"So, when did it happen anyway? Did he get you a ring?"

"I visited him last summer. We went out to dinner and he proposed. Then we headed back to his place and…" Hermione's face turned red. Harry really didn't want to think about why that was, even though he knew. Hermione waved her right hand over her left, and suddenly a gold ring with heart shaped rubies set into it appeared. Harry gasped.

"Wow. It's real then. Wow. I always kind of thought you'd end up with Ron," Harry said.

"Everyone does. I can't see why. We have too many differences for that to ever work out. But it's a good cover. No one would expect me to be engaged to someone else, let alone Victor Krum. As far as everyone is concerned, I haven't been in contact with him for years."

"While really you go visit him every so often and do unmentionable things?" Harry said.

"Gods, Harry, you make me sound like some kind of slut! That was my first time, for your information. And it was a special occasion."

"Okay, that's enough Hermione; I don't need all the details. Save that for Ginny."

"Fine. You're missing out on a great story though. Speaking of Ginny, what's going on between the two of you?"

"Nothing at the moment. How did your visit to my relatives go?"

"Fairly well. I told you that they agreed to co-operate in the end. Your cousin was like, flirting with me though."

"Dudley? I think I may die of laughter!"

"Gee, I'm sure Voldie would appreciate it. Don't die Harry; it's bad for your health."

This got Harry laughing even harder, and even Hermione let herself laugh. She knew it would be one of the last times for a very long time. If not the last. Ever. At the rate things were going, she saw nothing in her future except the inside of a coffin. Provided she was even given that luxury.

**A/N: The end is really depressing. I know. It is kind of a reflection of my mood recently. I will try to update more frequently, with longer chapters after finals. But no guarantees. Hope this will tide you over until I get my butt back into the harsh reality of I-have-work-to-do-and-it-needs-to-get-done.**


	9. Walking Away

**A/N: I'm not very good at this whole updating frequently thing, am I? Ah well. School is over. The conflict that was causing my lack of writing has mostly been resolved. Now there's a new one, but I'm trying not to obsess over it. Time goes by, life goes on. I just have to get used to it.**

The next morning after he and Hermione had breakfast Harry found himself climbing the steps to the Headmistress's office.

"Good morning, Professor," he said after knocking on the door and being told to enter.

"What can I do for you Harry?"

"I just wanted to talk."

"Alright."

"Professor, are you okay? This whole thing, Dumbledore, then what ever is going on with you and Hermione."

"I'm fine."

"You're lying, Professor. It's okay, you can talk to me. I won't tell anyone," Harry said.

McGonagall sighed.

"Yes, it's hard. Albus was my best friend for a very long time. We worked together, we fought two wars together, and we shared everything with each other. And now he's gone and I'm left to pick up the pieces and put the school back together for some sense of normalcy in this next war."

"The first time you have truly been away from him?"

"The first time since I started school. This will be the first war I fight without knowing that no matter what happens he has my back and he'll be here to pick up the pieces at the end of the day."

"It must be a hard thing to accept."

"The sort that you never really do. It's hard. Miss Granger- Hermione, was right. She said some things about me wanting someone else to be in charge, and wanting someone to always be there at the end of the day."

"You hoped it would be her."

"I did. It was a childish desire. Miss Granger is young. She has a life to live. This war is our fight, not yours."

"Sorry, but I'm pretty sure it's our fight. I've only been nearly killed 6 times to date because of this."

"So it is your fight, but it shouldn't be. The conflict is between the adults. Children have no place."

"We're not children anymore. War destroyed that."

"Some of you never were. You, Harry, you've been involved in this since your birth. And Miss Granger, ever since you saved her from the troll in your first year. Mr. Weasley since the three of you saved the Sorcerer's Stone. You never got to be children."

"No, we didn't. But at least we've gotten to live this long."

"That sounds like something Albus would say. Always looking on the bright side." Harry laughed, and McGonagall smiled.

"There's no way I could replace him in any way… friends?" Harry said.

"Friends." McGonagall replied. Harry smiled, and stood to leave.

"We'll try to keep in touch when it's safe," he said.

"I'll hold you to it. Good luck, Harry."

"Will we see you at Bill and Fleur's wedding?" he asked, his hand on the doorknob.

"Hopefully."

"Until then, Professor," Harry replied while opening the door to the office.

"Minerva, Harry, call me Minerva."

"Bye, Minerva," Harry said, and he left the office. McGonagall sat at her desk for a long time after that thinking about Harry's strange visit.

Harry rushed back to the Room of Requirement and found Hermione finishing repacking her bag once again.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Just about," she replied, shoving the last few things into her beaded bag.

"All set," she said, and they stepped out of the Room. Harry paced back and forth before the entrance thinking about how they needed a safe way to travel to the Burrow. The door appeared and they entered.

The Room had provided at Floo connection that hadn't previously existed. They each grabbed a handful of Floo powder and stepped into the fireplace together. As they tossed the powder down and called out their destination, Hermione couldn't help but think that this was the end of their time as students and the beginning of their intimate involvement with the war.

**A/N: It's short, but it's an update. In my defense, I went to sleep at 2:30 this morning after having an hour & a half long conversation with a close friend on Facebook… I'll try to update again sometime this coming week before I leave.**

**A/N 3: You guys should check out some of my other stories! I've branched out to Psych and The Lying Game, but there is still plenty of Harry Potter awesomeness, including several new fics! **


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